Q. What is Blessings to You?
A: Blessings to You is the title of my current creative metalsmithing venture which, at the moment, includes designing ear weights and bespoke commissions. The phrase comes directly from my process of creating something for someone as a talisman, an object to carry and direct intention. No dogma subscribed, just well wishes. It took a very long time to think of some clever name or witty phrase but when all was said and done I chose Blessings to You because everything else seemed unable to describe the spirit of my work. On a physical level, BTY is mostly just me at my home studio, hand carving models, and casting them in my garden. But for bigger projects, like creating enough stock for everyone at the APP Exposition, I am very thankful to have support from the fine folks casting at Anatometal in Santa Cruz.

Q: Speaking of Anatometal, how has your collaboration been going with them so far? Are there any big projects in the works you can share with us?
A: Oh my how wonderful it is to be able to visit all the beautiful faces at Anatometal. Their offices and production areas are massive! I always feel like Charlie in the Chocolate Factory. (Cyrus laughs.) Barry and Tod have been so welcoming to me when I come through and I really feel like part of the family there. This being my second year casting I feel like I’ve hit the ground running with my abilities to create, but there is no replacement for the experience in casting like Tony has. I’ve been so thankful being able to count on them for my larger production for Vegas everyone was able to take home jewelry they wanted except the bats of course they sold out the first day. As a wizard I always have something up my sleeve…but for now I’ll stay tight-lipped.

Photo by Prince Cyrus

Q: What was the catalyst that drove you to create Blessings to You?
A: I’ve dreamt of hand-making metal art for many years. From when I was young being around iron artists, to coming up as a piercer, then assisting design companies; this all further fueled my thirst for learning. The world of jewelry in our industry is very small, especially compared to other industries. For a while I wanted to step back and find a space for myself that was not ‘stepping on anyone’s toes’ so to speak. I created BTY in response to a yearning to contribute to my DIY community and for stability in the context of hypergentrification in San Francisco.

Q: Many of your pieces seem inspired by nature. Can you tell me a bit about how you decide on your designs, and what the creative process is like?
A: My first collection last year was entitled ‘The Floating World,’ as an honor to Japanese nature spirits. I chose pieces based on musings about 16th century Japanese poetry and how that poetry described the mysterious connection we have to the icons of nature. For example, the cicada is iconic for its symbolism of rites of passage and its intense summer mating song.

The focus of this year’s collection shifted under water, for my ‘Modern Atlantis,’ bringing awareness about the starfish wasting disease and the endangered nudibranch sea slugs off the California coasts. It frightens me how mass extinction seems unending in our era, and as an artist I wanted to create bronze body art for archeologists 1000 years from now to dig up and ask ‘Where did this go? Why did they make this?’

Creating these pieces usually starts with hours of research until I envision the right subject of what I am to execute. Sometimes there are days of hand-carving or sometimes hours of rummaging through a forest for the right moment to observe a critter or find the perfect tree pod.

Photo by Autumn Swisher

Q: How does this creative process then inspire your displays, and what you want people to see?A: Usually researching a subject really lets me dive deep into the culture of a thing. For example, Atlantis wasn’t just some Greek myth. If you go deeper and deeper you notice many cultures speak of an ancient climate change that devoured coastal cities, cities that we are unearthing off coasts all over the planet. From there I wanted to create a mood for my booth at the expo: hand-painted Neolithic ruins, coral pieces, pyramids, crystal displays, a giant wooden Ziggurat. Selenite crystal slabs were great, a subtle flat white background for displaying bronze and standard versions of designs. “Underwater and ancient” was the set, and my jewelry were the players. I wanted people to see more of a story in my designs, and I tried to use thematic elements in my display to bring that point across.

Q: What do you feel is the most important factor to consider when displaying jewelry, and how does that differ when you display jewelry online versus in a store (or at an expo)?
A: I would say that the most important thing to consider when displaying jewelry is being able to let someone understand everything a piece is about in one glance. Visually you should be able to see the whole silhouette and the physical details. Avoid visual clutter and have a color scheme in mind. Setting the environment around the jewelry should be simple but thematic of the pieces. I try to keep the eye directed through a display to unknowingly move an onlooker along to other pieces. Visuals can entertain while also inform, is there text about the materials and price? I tend to be more contemporary when displaying my jewelry in a studio by keeping flat surfaces and simple accessories in the cases, as opposed to displaying jewelry at an Exposition where a grandiose presentation is better appreciated. In the digital world I love seeing my jewelry next to real life versions of themselves, in pristine natural environments, inside fancy case displays, and—of course—an infamous selfie never hurts. I tend to not have such a strict method to online photos, and on the contrary, I feel the more variety that is displayed of jewelry online the better—only as long as the jewelry is in focus!

Q: What can we expect to see from Blessings to You over the coming year?
A: A glimpse into my bag of tricks? I’m really loving the fact we’ll be at the Flamingo next year for 20th Anniversary Conference, so I’m thinking taking everyone’s ears, necks and arms into the Amazon this year. Think vivid splashes of color, jeweled python in trees, and sloths swimming with piranha through a lush flooded forest. Everyone should start seeing a little bit by little come winter. I’m really in love with found object natural casting, so I intend on releasing more ear jewelry and accessories from the mountains. Theo, from Honeycomb Organics, and I have also been collaborating on a series of plugs. Plus offering bespoke has led me to no shortage of work making folks dream jewelry. If there is one thing I know how to do it’s keeping busy!

I am being given the opportunity to write about my company, Tawapa, for this issue of The Point, as we won the award for “Best Multiple Booth Display” at this year’s Conference. I’m honored of course, but given the audience, a promotional article on who we are feels redundant. We’ve been around awhile and, if you have too, you’ve probably already read it somewhere before. This realization allowed me to reflect on all the years we have been in this industry and how it has changed over time. A more appropriate title for this article could be “Growing up as a business in an unstable environment” or,” A condensed history of organic jewelry through the eyes of Tawapa.”

Being in our teens (as a company) feels the same as getting older as a human. We have become wiser and more mature, but we are left wondering how so much time could have passed. As we continue to accumulate years of experience, I realize that the lifespan of this company reflects the ebb and flow of life itself, a road paved with joy and successes, but not without bumps, potholes, and major road blocks.

I began Tawapa as a renegade wanderer, rejecting the confines of normalcy for a life of adventure, art, and eccentric exchanges with extraordinary people. This put me on a direct trajectory into the piercing world, which embodied and supported all of these ideals. In 1996, I found myself in a small carving village in Indonesia. In those days, the carvers in that village were actually carving sculptures, animals, and art, but as years passed the village has become dominated by piercing jewelry—to the point of oversaturation. When I first arrived there, I was introduced to an exceptional carver who opened the doors of creativity to me. I was so inspired, the possibilities felt limitless. I came back to America with a little suitcase full of treasures I had collected and created. I traveled the country in an old truck with my little case and my carver friend at a time when almost no one had even encountered “organic” jewelry. In fact, that term was only just then being coined. If I am correct, it was Erica Skatsen who coined it. I met her in Portland that summer. She was hand-carving beautiful wood plugs. She was a pioneer in her field and our meeting felt important and exciting. Besides Erika, Borneo Joe had created and produced incredible jewelry, but his wares were not widely distributed. In Europe, Cold Steel and Wild Cat had begun carrying some carved horn and bone jewelry, but that was it. The tiniest handful of artists, designers, and distributors were the beginning of a new movement of jewelry in the piercing world which, until that time, had been dominated by steel jewelry.

Photo by Autumn Swisher

As we all know, the term “organic jewelry” quickly became industry jargon. An influx of carved jewelry, particularly horn and bone, flooded the market. Everyone and their piercer decided to go to Bali, the mecca of the organic movement, to cash in on a budding micro industry that seemed to be growing and growing. Meanwhile, the peaceful village of artisans took down their signs that said “handicrafts” and hung new ones stating “piercing jewelry”. An artist village became a piercing village. The younger locals even began adopting the style, stretching their ears, covering themselves in tattoos, and listening to punk rock heavy metal.

This shift in the industry was both exciting and overwhelming. I loved the hardcore aesthetic some of the Balinese were embodying at the same time that more and more people in America and Europe were stretching their ears and choosing organic jewelry. I did not love the disproportionate amount of jewelry companies that were popping up everyday, and with them, an excessive amount of rip offs and counterfeits. However, now that we are in our ripe old teenage years, I can look back at that time with gratitude and appreciate the fruits that blossomed from that rich yet unstable environment.

Within a couple years, we saw many companies fall as quickly as they had risen. Most of them realized that there was a lot more to running an international business than they had imagined, and the dream was quickly deflated. The ones that did manage to hold on and grow within the industry did so because they were exceptional. With so much competition, the only way to make it was to be amazing. Today there are only a few really successful companies in the “organic jewelry” industry. The ones who have succeeded are the ones who have forged their own unique aesthetic and style, who make beautiful high quality jewelry, and who know how to run and manage a business.

I feel honored to have been able to experience so much growth and change and sometimes challenge in this dynamic, insular, tiny beast of a community. I am grateful to the companies who came before me for paving the road. I also appreciate all of those companies who came and went over the years. I see now that they helped shape who we are (and who we are not), and demanded that we up our game. Most of all, as I reflect on the history of Tawapa, I thank our loyal customers who have supported us all these years and I thank my colleagues, the ones who have carved their own niche in this industry, through beautiful jewelry and a sense of integrity. They have challenged me to continue to excel. Because of them, I have not had the luxury of being lazy. I have learned humility in the most honorable way. I am constantly inspired and motivated to create and to continue to evolve Tawapa on all levels.

This year has brought a lot of change for us as a company, with a move to Los Angeles, a new look, new logo, and more jewelry than ever before. In this industry, as in life, change is the only constant. Embracing change is the gift that comes with age. We, at Tawapa, feel that we are at the dawning of another new era in jewelry, and in life, and we cannot wait to share it with you.

To win both innovator’s awards this APP was both a wonderful surprise and an honor. In an industry where so much is changing and evolving, it feels good to know we might be doing something right. I have never really been good at following the rules; pushing limits has always been my natural reaction to the world around me. But if it wasn’t for my team at Diablo Organics and my peer group, I would not have the freedom, support, and inspiration to produce award-winning jewelry.

Only a handful of years ago, many of the designs and concepts I utilize today would not have been well received. I have learned the hard way that the key to creating successful designs is not just innovation, but timing and perseverance. It is a testament to our industry and diversified clientele that we are capable of creating new concepts, and utilizing old (and even ancient) ideas to move out of niche markets on the fringe of society, and into the larger fashion industry as a whole. This is helping our businesses to flourish and provide professional services to the general public. So, to those of us “old timers,” I hope we can embrace the evolution of our industry, and bring positive influence and wisdom to help guide our paths. To the “fresh blood,” I enjoy the new perspectives and energy you bring to the table, challenging us to stay relevant in this ultra-fast-paced world.

Photo courtesy of Diablo Organics

We entered and won with the saddle spreader hooks in the Technical Innovation category. It’s a variation on our original spreader hook. I designed it to accommodate our ever-growing line of “dangles.” It is a simple and basic concept all piercers use whether they’re conscious of it or not. Spreading pressure over a wider surface area creates a more comfortable and wearable piece of jewelry. This design allows people of all different sizes to rock progressively heavier “dangles”. It also allows me, as a designer, to create pieces that would otherwise be too heavy to wear.

For the Creative Innovator Award, I used a design I’ve had on the books for a few years but have never had the right materials to make happen. Then I came across an amazing section of “grade A” fossilized mammoth tusk allowing us to make these beautiful, three-inch swastikas a reality. The swastika is a hot topic in the Western world, especially in the cyber reality that currently exists, causing much debate. Mention it to people in Asia and they will shrug their shoulders and ask, “What’s the big deal?” It’s a symbol they see daily. I am aware of the negative connotations this image carries for many, the positive ones for others, the recent historical context, the ancient context, and even all the misinformation out there on the “interwebs,” the list goes on and on.

Why does Diablo Organics use it? Why do I use it in my jewelry and even in my logo? For me it is about freedom. It’s freedom from dogma, preconceived ideas, rules, opinions, religion, hate or whatever box “they” try to put me in. I’m here to smash the limits and keep kicking ass. That being said: a big THANK YOU to all of you who support us. Through your support we will continue to do what we do and bring you unique, quality jewelry made from extraordinary materials.

Giving out the President’s Award was one of the duties I most looked forward to when I first came into office as President, and it is one of the things I will miss now that my three-year term of service is complete. It is an honor to be able to select worthy individuals from our community and recognize them for their dedication and contributions.

The person receiving this year’s award has spent over 20 years in the industry and could definitely be considered a pioneer. They started a piercing business back in 1992 and have been a Business Member of the Association of Professional Piercers since 1996.

This individual has been involved since the first APP Conference and was actually a co-organizer of that original event.

The recipient of the 2014 award has also served on the Board of Directors more than once, and has further distinguished himself doing projects for various committees.

Additionally, he has worked with a number of government agencies including NEHA, the CDC, and NIOSH, to promote safe piercing.

This gentleman is also known as an educator and has taught at APP Conferences and other seminars abroad, including events in Italy, Sweden, and Germany.

He is also a husband and a father.

It is no secret that we have differing approaches to certain things, but there is clearly a mutual professional respect between us, which is something I’m so happy to see throughout the industry in general: the understanding that there is more than one way to achieve desired results.

This man is an incredibly hard-working volunteer who has devoted countless hours to numerous projects to further the goals and mission of the organization. He has accomplished a tremendous and impressive amount of work throughout his involvement with the organization and especially during the past three years.

I do have to clarify at this point that a Statim [the type of autoclave he represents and sells] is NOT required for APP membership. The recipient of this year’s President’s Award is Brian Skellie! Great job, Brian; congratulations!

Elayne gives Brian the President’s Award, with the help of some streakers. Photo by Autumn Swisher.

While at Conference this year, Bethra Szumski came and found me. She had spoken with Josh’s mom that day. During the course of relaying the story to me, she was overcome with emotion. She told me that Josh’s mom is so very grateful that we are keeping Josh’s memory alive with this award.

At Conference I asked everyone: those who knew Josh and miss him and those who didn’t know Josh, but should have—raise a glass, whether water or wine—and toast Josh, a very fine young man who left this place too early, and leaves us both richer and poorer with his departure.

The recipient of this year’s Josh A. Prentice Award is Ryan Ouellette.

Ryan is a good friend of mine. Somewhere in my head I worried about giving him this award. He’s more than deserving, but sometimes our community can’t see that service—and what it means to volunteer can be extremely diverse.

He has, however, contributed hours and hours of work and some of the major ideas that have shaped our Conference into what it is today.

Back on December 5, 2008 I received an email from Ryan, whom I didn’t know well. He wrote that some of our most trusted Board Members had been impressed with his teaching at BMX and that they suggested he reach out and possibly teach at the APP Conference. He wrote. “maybe I sucked, and they just felt bad.” He was a bit self-deprecating, and didn’t seem to think that we would be interested.

By February of 2009, a mere two months later, he had submitted two fully fleshed-out proposals to the Conference Committee: one was for a workshop-based class that changed up the lecture format (that all classes were being taught in at that time) and one was for the Mentor Program.

In 2009 he wasn’t an APP member and therefore wasn’t asked to take on the lead role in either of the programs. However, due to certain circumstances, he wound up taking the lead on the Mentor Program that year and playing a key role teaching some of the workshop sessions. By the following year, while he still wasn’t a member, he was lead instructor on the workshop session(s) as was Jesse Villemaire. (At that time, the APP allowed non-members to teach only if they were “experts” on a topic and they were more qualified to teach the class than an available member.)

Ryan has consistently provided ideas and thoughts on ways to improve Conference since he got involved in 2008. These two programs alone have reshaped our Conference, infused new excitement into classes, and were instrumental, I believe, in changing how our seasoned attendees treat and perceive new attendees.

How else has he volunteered? For the past three years he has participated in processing, interviewing, and choosing the Al D. scholars—which, this year, also included 26 phone interviews.

He has worked countless hours as part of the APP team for Tumblr. (The estimation of hours is seven to ten hours per a week; that’s somewhere between 726 hours and 1040 hours over the last two years.) And we know these social media efforts have been key to the growth that our membership and our Conference has experienced recently.

He is always available for me—offering to help in any way throughout the year—and I hand him small projects where I can.

He is also the first person at Conference who took great pains to arrange for me to leave the hotel a few years back and go out to dinner with him and his friends. While it seems like a simple thing, for me this was a monumental task. By doing this, however, it became clear to me that if I put my trust in my volunteer team that everything would be ok, whether I was there or not.

Instructor, mentor, inspiration, social media mogul, and finally an APP member, Ryan became a member in 2011. I had many conversations with him before he became a member—about the Association and membership. Through his experience and service with the Association, Ryan changed his views of the APP and become one of our staunchest advocates.

Ryan is a special kind of leader. He is special kind of volunteer.

He’s provided emotional support and friendship for years, especially during Conference crunch time. I am so glad to have him as my friend, and it was a joy to present this award to him.

“You are here in order to enable the world to live more amply, with greater vision, with a finer spirit of hope and achievement. You are here to enrich the world.” ― Woodrow Wilson

It has been almost two weeks since Conference ended, and I think I am finally starting to come down from that amazing high.

As a first time attendee and as a recipient of the Al D. Scholarship, I was overwhelmed, underfed, and scared for my life: So many things made it the most fulfilling experience of my young life, and will drive me to attend every year it is held, and to volunteer every year they will have me!

While Conference is known for its wonderful classes, world-class teachers and instructors, and the jewelry expo to end all jewelry expos, the annual Association of Professional Piercers Conference will undoubtedly work towards changing your world view just by standing at the bar. The interactions that take place all week, in all places we congregate in Vegas, will push you towards positive change and help give you some of the tools needed to impact not only your career but the industry as a whole. (In my opinion, the foundation of the whole experience are these positive interactions amongst peers.)

When I first arrived in Vegas, thankfully in the company of a fellow Al D, I did not even remember how to breathe; I was no longer on this planet, and certainly no longer in the world I was comfortable in. I was transported, scared, and alone, but this was an important ceremony to face: the fear that comes with attending for the first time. It reminds you of the magnitude of this opportunity. The sight of the hotel sent chills down my spine; I giggled and screamed like a school child. Upon entering the hotel my attempts to gather myself and regain my composition were laughable, especially when I saw—in person—piercers that I follow/stalk through various social media outlets just sitting at the bar!

Once checked in, my bags placed in room, I took the first of many walks past the holiest of bars in Las Vegas. Soon after I was greeted by the magnificent Caitlin! As anyone who has had the pleasure of dealing with this powerhouse of a woman over the interwebs knows, she is tiny (in size) yet explodes with energy you can feel in your chest.

My experience meeting with the other volunteers was amazing as well. I have never met a group of people so open to new folks, so quick to hug and love and help. It was awe-inspiring to have these strangers welcome you into their fold and not for a second show contempt for their role in the machine that is Conference. That alone has made me more inclined to give myself completely to helping the industry any way I can. The sincere kindness that these people hold inside themselves is magical.

All the hugs and kisses aside, Conference requires a lot of hard work from everyone in order to run smoothly. With almost 300 new attendees, I can see how important the cooperation of everyone involved—volunteers and conference attendees alike—is paramount to an educational and fun Conference. I have never seen so much sacrifice to ensure the level of professionalism that this industry strives to maintain, and I was truly humbled by that gift.

I must send out my thanks to everyone who even took even an hour to help on all fronts; you truly made my experience extraordinary! To the teachers, the love volunteers, the Supers, the registration, the raffle booth, the merch booth, the people who would just stop to talk to me, anyone who I met in passing, or had a few hours with: I want to express my undying and unconditional love. You have changed my life for the better, and made this adventure a hallmark in my journey. You have prompted something great in my life.

To my fellow Al D’s: I could not have asked for anyone better to share my time with, or to struggle alongside of. You are all so special to me now. You are all beautiful people that I know will be lifelong friends. Not one of you was too good for anyone else, and you have all been so open and loving to me. Thank you for being you!

To the Supers and love volunteers: My deepest regret is I did not get to work with as many of you as much as I would have liked. This is something I hope to change next year. I hold so much respect for you, and if not for your leadership, I do not think I would have been able to push through. You are great people, not only in this industry, but in life. You have my deepest thanks for being amazing role models.

To Caitlin, the great protector and leader of the volunteer army: I stand by what I said before; I fucking love the shit out of you! I cannot stand that I have just met you; I should have had you in my life from the beginning. You are strong and motivating and honestly the reason I am who I am today. Your hard work changed my life. Thank you for the patience, the time away just to talk that I desperately needed, and the care and compassion that comes with running such a monumental task. You are a shining example of what we should all hope to one day become! I will happily run your errands forever!

My deepest thanks go out to anyone who gave me well wishes during Conference, and those who helped me get the scholarship. Thank you to my interviewers, Ryan and Tiana, who made it fun and more conversation than anything.

To anyone who has not attended: If any of you have ever told yourself that conference is not worth the money, time, hassle, headache, etc., I kindly assert that you are wrong. I would walk through fire to attend again, and I hope my experience helps push you into attending!

As usual, I’m waiting until the last minute to turn in the writing assignment asked of me by the APP. This is not because I’m lazy; it’s because I’ve been trying for over a month to put my Conference experience into words. I’m still not sure if I can.

I went to Conference not knowing a single soul outside the realm of the internet, and feeling much like I did when I was 15 and starting a brand-new high school. (I didn’t know what the other kids were wearing, what they had already studied, or if they’d like me.) Upon my arrival in Las Vegas, I was greeted as if I had known everyone for years; it was like starting a conversation with an old friend. In fact, I feel like I didn’t meet a single stranger, and I learned just as much from these “friends” and our late night talks at the bar as I did in the classes I attended.

As a volunteer, I spent the majority of my week surviving on coffee, snacks, and a purely stubborn will to make it through the week without suffering the “midweek meltdown” I had heard so much about. Don’t let anyone tell you differently: Conference is a long, stressful,and expensive week, but it is worth every single bit of time and effort. Not only do you leave Conference with a plethora of new information and new friendships, but you will leave with an overall new outlook on everything you thought you knew, and to be surrounded by so much talent, knowledge, and information is overwhelming, intimidating, and humbling.

As a recipient of the Al D. Scholarship, my experience was mainly financed by the kindness of others. I don’t think it would have been possible to attend without this opportunity, and I am grateful beyond words for it. It has been a goal of mine to attend Conference since I entered this industry six years ago, and it was the generosity of strangers that made it possible for this dream to come true.

To those that conducted the interview process and made the decision to give me this amazing opportunity: Thank you from the bottom of my heart. My life and career are changed for the better.

To everyone at home that gave me the support, awesome references, and constant love before, during, and after Conference, thank you.

And to my fellow volunteers: Thank you for being my family. I can’t wait to continue on the tradition of working with you all. I wish you all the best this year. May you all be happy, healthy, and may your crystals always shine bright.

I must admit that I’m not one for expressing myself through written words. My dedication to the industry is conveyed through my lifestyle, so these words may be all over the place, but I hope they convey my love for the work I did at the 18th Annual Conference and Exposition as much as the actions of my work did.

After a two month process of applying for this scholarship, collecting references,and going through the phone interviews, I really couldn’t have had a better learning venture. For the past eight years I have worked in the piercing/tattoo industry, but this experience—by far—reassured the fact that I am in fact in the right field. All the knowledge I’ve collected has given me more confidence and made me more aware of my trade, and being in a place surrounded by like-minded people in such mass was pretty amazing.

Being that I am not a piercer there has always been a lot of uncertainty about where my place was in the body modification world, not necessarily by others but by myself. However, as soon as I became an Al D recipient my role became clearer; I am very passionate about body modification, and I don’t necessarily need to be piercing to find happiness in this community. The kind of love and welcome I felt at APP is something rare, and something I will always cherish.

The moments, the memories, those few seconds at the dinner when there was a roar of cheer at the announcement of my name, they are all thanks to the Al D scholarship, and for that I am forever grateful.

One of my favorite things about serving as APP President is that I have the “job” of bestowing an annual award. There aren’t any formal or established criteria for me to follow, and in some ways that makes it even harder to reach a decision on the winner. That said, when I came up with the idea of naming this individual, I knew it was absolutely the right choice.

I wanted to make it clear during my brief speech at the banquet that it shouldn’t only be the super-sparkly, outgoing, attention-getting folks (such as myself) who are noticed. I wanted to recognize someone who is hardworking and highly participatory, but in a quieter, more behind-the-scenes way than some of us.

This person studied photography at the Art Institute of Chicago in 1992-93. They have been a professional piercer since 1998 and an APP member since 1999. This piercer worked in a studio as an employee for eight years, until 2006 when that business closed. They opened their own studio in 2007. This person is incredibly devoted, dedicated, consistent, and cares deeply about doing quality work.

This recipient has served admirably on the Conference Committee since it formed in 2008; she also volunteered at our annual events before that. She handles a task that is surely one of the most daunting and difficult with grace and compassion: She wrangles all of us speakers and our handouts and PowerPoint presentations so they are ready for Conference. Her patience and diligence are beyond measure. I’m a little embarrassed to admit she’s even had to goad me at times to extract my presentation materials.

Not only is this woman a wonderful piercer, a respected colleague, and a fantastic employer, she is also an amazing mother. She has aptly been described as “The APP’s best kept secret.” This woman has earned my deepest respect and is so deserving of recognition for her efforts on behalf of the industry and this organization.

My selection for the 2013 recipient of the President’s Award is Sarah Wooten.

Thank you so much Sarah for all that you do. You earned this award so quietly and gently, yet thoroughly. Congratulations!

Preferring to make receiving the award a positive and pleasant experience, I did not require her to address the audience at the banquet. I am aware that this woman of many talents does not have public speaking high on her list of favorite things to do. So instead I suggested that she write something for The Point and here it is:

“I am feeling honored, humbled, and a little overwhelmed with having been chosen to receive the 2013 APP President’s Award. I like to joke around that I have some sort of obsession with volunteering, but the truth of the matter is that it’s one of the most rewarding aspects of having a career in this industry. I strongly believe that the APP has done an immeasurable amount of good for piercers, both for our industry and for our community. To me, the ability to give back by donating my time and energy in such a direct way is really gratifying. Being a part of the Conference Committee allows me to work closely with people I respect and admire, and to help create this wonderful educational event that benefits fellow piercers. I had no idea in advance just how much hard work goes into each year’s Conference, but the result makes the effort more than worth it.

I’m incredibly thankful for the recognition. It makes me want to work harder and to do more. I’d also like to take this opportunity to encourage others to consider volunteering in some capacity. There are so many different ways to reach out and give something back, and I promise you’ll be glad that you did.”

I love that I get to give out the Josh A. Prentice Volunteer Appreciation Award each and every year. Unfortunately, as the years go by, there are fewer and fewer people who knew Josh and worked with him at Conference. Josh (then and now) reminds me to reach out and really find out how people are doing in their lives: to be genuine, give with the whole of your heart, smile more, and say you’re sorry when you make a mistake—and move on. He was just one person, but he still made a difference.

Last year, as I was walking through the banquet hall getting ready to give Gus Diamond his award, I wondered to myself who would be the next recipient. At that very moment Luis walked by me, and I immediately thought, “Jesus, why did you not think of this before?”

This is what I know about Luis Garcia:

He’s always been super friendly toward me.

He has an infectious smile.

He’s an amazing instructor at Conference.

He served as a board member, and he served honestly—with no bullshit, during a difficult time.

He can be brutally blunt, but always gets the job done.

He’s got pretty jewelry.

As a volunteer, he’s stood close to me many, many, many times while we figured out how best to solve complex problems that arose at Conference. He understands the reason why we are here—and how best to serve the industry, the APP, the Conference, it’s attendees and vendors.

He’s got the respect of most—if not everyone—in our community.

He’s been an APP member since 1999.

He’s able to teach pretty much anything, and has done so at the drop of a hat.

He has a very big voice, gives big hugs, and has a big personality.

He is blessed with an abundance of passion.

Recently he talked (on Facebook) about his favorite flower being the passion flower. He called them Maypops, which I had never heard of, but somehow made sense coming from him. I don’t take his classes, but he’s taught me just the same—about being a good manager, about facing difficult problems head on, about being direct when you speak, and showed me how passion gives you strength in all things.

I think everyone in the banquet hall felt that I made a good decision in honoring Luis Garcia with the Josh A. Prentice Volunteer Appreciation Award. He is just one person, but he continuously makes a difference in his studio, at Conference, and in his life.